Azoresgal~Life on an Island

This Poached Egg and Avocado Toast  recipe  is so simple to make. I know your thinking poached eggs ..yikes! Please.... please don't be scared of them. They are really easy to prepare, I promise! This has become one of my favorite meals to have for breakfast, lunch, even dinner. I kid you not, toast, poached eggs, and avocados, are three of my favorite things and when you put the three of them together…it's a beautiful thing! 1 egg splash of vinegar 1 slice bread 3-5 slices of avocado ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon ground black pepper Squeeze of lime 1. Bring a small pot with water( enough to cover the egg ) to a boil, then lower to a simmer. You don't want it to be a rolling boil. Add in vinegar and a pinch of salt. 2. Crack the egg into an individual ramekin/ small dish.  Use a spoon to swirl the water in the pan to form a spiral. Add the egg as close as possible to the water from the ramekin. The egg white should swirl around the egg. Allow the ...

 Chocolate truffles are very easy to make, they are basically a chocolate ganache made with extra chocolate leaving the final mixture, firmer than normal. Chocolate truffles are named “truffles” because of their resemblance to real truffles . They are dusted with cocoa, to represent the dirt found on truffles . These little beauties are the perfect blend of sweet and heat...the heat comes from adding cayenne pepper!.  When shaping the truffles, don´t worry about them to be perfectly smooth, leave them a little bumpy, that is the trademark of real truffles. 7 oz (200 g) dark chocolate 100 ml heavy cream ½ tsp cinnamon ¼ tsp cayenne pepper roll in: 1/4 cup Unsweetened Cocoa 2 tbs Confectioner’s Sugar Chop up all of the chocolate into small slivers, place it in a medium bowl and sprinkle the cinnamon and cayenne over the chocolate pieces.  Heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan (or in the microwave) until it just comes to a boil. Remove th...

The kids started their Easter break today, it's hard to believe that two semesters of school are already finished. Now I don´t know if this first day went exactly as they had hoped, but it had to be done, I made them clean their rooms! You know, a real spring clean, the kind where you purge out a couple of garbage bags worth of stuff. It actually went really well, everyone was on the same page, so the team work really paid off. I am really proud of them, they all did a great job, so to thank them, we baked cookies this afternoon. These peanut butter oatmeal cookies are super delicious. They are soft, chewy and perfect! I added in some M&M's only because I had them, chocolate chips would be great, some nuts and perhaps some cranberries too. The kids had a fun time making them, they have had an even better time eating them...I kid you not, the cookie jar is almost empty! ½ cup softened butter 1 cup peanut butter 1 cup brown sugar 2 eggs 1 tsp vanilla ex...

This makes a big 13x9 pan of brownies, using a cake box mix, that's right a cake box mix!  Super easy and oh so very delicious, a really decadent dessert! 1 chocolate cake mix 1 egg 1 stick of melted butter (1/2 cup) 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional) 1 8 oz. softened cream cheese (200 gr.) 2 beaten eggs 3 1/2 cup powdered sugar. Mix together in a bowl the chocolate cake mix, 1 egg, 1 stick of melted butter,1 c. chopped pecans. Line a 13x9 pan, with baking/ parchment paper, press the mixture into the bottom of the pan. Next combine the softened cream cheese, 2 beaten eggs and 3  1/2 c. powdered sugar. Spread over cake mix. Bake in 180/350' oven for 40 minutes. Cool before cutting into bars/squares **** I added a chocolate drizzle, I melted 200 grms, of chocolate in the microwave, then poured it into a piping bag, and drizzled over the brownies.

"When a child gives you a gift, even if it is a rock they just picked up, exude gratitude. It might be the only thing they have to give, and they have chosen to give it to you."  -- Dean Jackson